To get to Pantai Glagah you head for Pantai Trisik, and carry on. You cross two big, brown, muddy rivers, the second of which empties itself into the ocean very close to the beach. Somewhere between the two, the agriculture changes from rice to fruit and vegetables. Just behind the beach are dragon-fruit orchards.

Apart from its river outlet, Pantai Glagah boasts a pretty backdrop of hills; a breakwater to walk along; a black-sand beach with a big, tumbly sea; and a lagoon, with boat trips and pedalos.

Most photogenically, however, it is the place where giants bring their buckets and spades, and make mudpies:





There is -- of course -- a tempting array of food and drink on offer. We downed a kelapa muda each (how can you not?), and also sampled cilok. These are chewy balls, made with tapioca flour. They come with or without a meat filling, and are served with hot sauce and kecap manis. I'm always a fan of chewy textures, so I thought these were pretty good.

The day was overcast, but somehow I got sunburnt... That's the trouble with having spent three weeks back in the winter, and two weeks under an ash cloud...